(Adults, you could read the first paragraph of the reflection to the child, then read the Gospel, and then continue with the reflection.)
In the Gospel for this Sunday, Jesus and his friends are at the Temple in Jerusalem. The Temple is the most holy place in all of the holy city of Jerusalem. Every day, people come from all over the city to pray. They offer gifts to God. Jesus and his friends are sitting and resting, watching people come to offer their gifts to God.
Jesus sat down opposite the treasury, and watched the crowd putting money into the treasury. Many rich people put in large sums.
What is the money for? Does God need money? No. God does not need money, but the money helps to build the Temple, the holy place for God. Some of the people are giving lots and lots of money. They must really want to build a beautiful place for God.
A poor widow came and put in two small copper coins, which are worth a penny.
This woman does not give lots and lots of money. She only gives two small coins. That is not enough to build the Temple. Why does she not give more? Does she not want to build a special place for God?
Then Jesus called his disciples and said to them, “Truly I tell you, this poor widow has put in more than all those who are contributing to the treasury.
Jesus says the woman has given more than everyone else! More? How can that be true? She only gives two small coins; everyone else gives lots and lots of money.
Jesus explains:
she out of her poverty has put in everything she had
Oh. This woman only has two coins. They are important to her. She does not have lots and lots, but the woman gives everything that she has. Everything that she has, she gives to God. She must really, really want to build a beautiful place for God.
When other people look at her gift, they see something too small, not enough.
But when God looks at her gift, what does God see?
Everything.
This is good news for us, isn't it?
When we give something to God, God sees our gift the same way we see it.
If it is important to us, it is everything to God.
If we sit down, right now, and make a picture for God, does it matter if other people do not see how important it is?
Nope.
God sees.